Radioactive plutonium and americium have been found in air samples off public Highway 240, where workers enter the secure area of the Hanford nuclear reservation.
The samples were collected on June 8 in an area where officials were not expecting to find airborne contamination. On June 8 workers at the Plutonium Finishing Plant were ordered to take cover indoors because of an airborne release of radioactive particles during demolition of the highly contaminated facility.
Analysis results for the air samples were received Monday. As reported by officials, the level of contamination is interesting from a regulatory point of view, but is not a health risk. Isn’t it what they always say?
Hanford employees received a memo telling them “that the amount detected is below levels that would be of concern for human health.” In other words, you have been irradiated, but don’t worry.
The samples were collected in an area where officials were not expecting to find airborne contamination. The Rattlesnake Barricade is at least three miles from the Plutonium Finishing Plant and the wind was not blowing in that direction. So from where is the polluted air?
The level of americium present in the air was three times over the allowed limit. The amount of plutonium found was too small to exceed air quality standards. Do you really think they would tell you?
The departments of Energy and Health are beginning an investigation and have not conclusively linked the airborne contamination to the Plutonium Finishing Plant incident.
